Adults with disabilities who reported excellent or good quality of life had established a balance of body, mind, and spirit
QUESTION: How do adults with disabilities understand and describe their quality of life in relation to physical and social environments?
Design
Qualitative approach using semistructured interviews.
Setting
Chicago, Illinois, USA.
Participants
153 adults (median age 53 y, 51% women, 45% African-American, 50% single and never married, 51% high school graduates, 62% living with others) with a disability (arthritis, spinal cord injury or paralysis, cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis, orthopaedic conditions, head injury, HIV, AIDS, heart conditions, eye or vision problems, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, diabetes mellitus, chronic pain, addiction, or mental illness). The sample was generated through contacts in community based disability groups, government benefit agencies, shelters for the homeless, and acute hospitals.
Methods
Adults were interviewed in English or Spanish for approximately 2.5 hours and responded to open ended questions about their disability, their perceived quality of life, and how the disability affected quality of life. …
